Eastern Shore Rail to Trail — Cape Charles Segment

About this route

VDOT opened this path to the public on Aug. 20, 2026, making it the first finished piece of the Eastern Shore Rail to Trail — a project the agency describes as a future 49.1-mile shared-use path running from Cape Charles to Hallwood. The segment was built on the railbanked corridor of the former Bay Coast Railroad. It starts at Fig Street and Mason Avenue in Cape Charles and ends at the shopping center near Route 13 (Lankford Highway) and Country Place. VDOT names walking and bicycling as its uses. Note that the length has been published two ways: design-stage documents give 2.17 miles, while the project page and the opening announcement both say 2.2.

Most of the route sits inside the old railroad right of way, running alongside Route 184 (Stone Road) on the way toward Route 13, and it finishes at the signalized intersection Route 13 shares with Country Place. VDOT's environmental review explains that the alignment was drawn to keep path users away from the point where Stone Road meets Route 13, which the agency counted as a safety gain. The construction scope included marked crosswalks at the intersections the route touches, a box culvert carrying the path over an ephemeral stream, and a pipe placed under Country Place. For surfacing, VDOT's design typical section called for a 10-foot-wide asphalt path with a two-inch surface over a base that recycles the railroad's old ballast mixed with new aggregate — though that same document said the final construction details were still to be determined. Parking is one trailhead lot at Mason Avenue and Fig Street, on the Cape Charles end.

VDOT's stated purpose for the path is to improve cyclist and pedestrian safety and to create a safe recreational trail, in a place where Route 13 is the Eastern Shore's only through route. Beyond that trailhead lot, though, the agency publishes nothing about this segment's facilities: no restrooms, drinking water, benches, lighting, shade, hours, fees, or dog policy appear anywhere in its project material, so plan accordingly and call the Hampton Roads District public affairs office at 757-956-3024 if a specific detail matters. Two things are worth knowing before a visit. The adjoining 1.4-mile Cheriton segment, which continues north from Route 13 and Country Place, was still under construction at VDOT's most recent update, with signage and pavement markings among the outstanding items and completion tied to the contract's mid-fall 2026 date. And VDOT's environmental review recorded a stakeholder concern that golf carts — which the review calls locally ubiquitous — could end up on the path despite not being an intended user, with bollards and signage under consideration when the document was written.

Why this difficulty rating: VDOT publishes no difficulty rating for this segment and no elevation profile, so none is assigned here. The agency describes the wider 49.1-mile Bay Coast Railroad right of way as a "primarily flat and straight right of way," but does not apply that description to this segment on its own.

Highlights

• First segment of the planned 49.1-mile Eastern Shore Rail to Trail to open; VDOT opened it to the public Aug. 20, 2026
• Built on the railbanked corridor of the former Bay Coast Railroad between Cape Charles and Route 13
• Trailhead parking lot at Mason Avenue and Fig Street in Cape Charles
• VDOT's design typical section: a 10-foot-wide asphalt path founded on recycled railroad ballast mixed with new aggregate
• Walking and bicycling route separated from vehicle traffic, linking Cape Charles with the shopping center at Route 13 and Country Place

Map and trailheads

Approximate locations for orientation only. Carry an offline map — cell service is unreliable on much of this network.

Know before you go

Route type

Point to point

Surfaces

Paved

Setting

Not yet verified

Amenities

Parking

Parking

VDOT added a trailhead parking lot at Mason Avenue and Fig Street in Cape Charles, at the town end of the segment. No space count is published. A separate trailhead lot just north of Country Place serves the adjoining Cheriton segment.

Restrooms

Not yet verified

Water

Not yet verified

Fees

Not yet verified

Permits

Not yet verified

Hours

Not yet verified

Dogs

Not yet verified

Accessibility

Not yet verified

Stroller friendly

Not yet verified

Good with kids

Not yet verified

Seasonal notes

Not yet verified

Weather exposure

Not yet verified

Cell service

Not yet verified

Emergency

Not yet verified

Hazards and wildlife

• The segment's far end meets Route 13 (Lankford Highway) at the signalized intersection shared with Country Place
• VDOT's construction scope for the project included marking crosswalks at associated intersections
• The adjoining 1.4-mile Cheriton segment, which continues north from Route 13 and Country Place, remained under construction at VDOT's most recent update, with signage and pavement markings still outstanding
• VDOT's environmental review recorded a stakeholder concern that locally common golf carts might be driven on the path despite not being an intended user; bollards and signage were under consideration when that document was written
• VDOT publishes no information about shade, drinking water, restrooms, or lighting anywhere along the segment

VDOT publishes no visitor-facing wildlife guidance for this path. Its environmental review for the two Northampton County segments records about 0.1 acre of non-tidal wetland impact (emergent and scrub/shrub types) and a box culvert carrying the path over an ephemeral stream. The review's species findings were "no effect" for most federally listed species and "may affect, not likely to adversely affect" for two bat species; the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation noted protected-species habitat buffer in the vicinity, which the review states is not expected to be adversely affected.

Read the Virginia wildlife and safety guide